1. Introduction
Diabetic patients not only have high blood glucose, but also tend to have increased triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), which may contribute to atherosclerosis of the blood vessels, thereby predisposing patients to embolism and lesions, which in turn increase the risk of stroke, hypertension, or myocardial infarction. Angioplasty may also predispose patients to a range of pathologies in the feet. With a reduction in blood flow to the foot, patients may notice a weaker pulse and lowered temperature in the region. Furthermore, injuries occurring in the feet region may not tend to heal as readily and are prone to infection.
Depending on blood glucose concentrations, diabetes can be classified as follows:
Figure 1.
Number of people with diabetes in adults (20-79 years) by age group in 2021 (columns) and estimated prevalence across age groups in 2045(black line) [
1].
Figure 1.
Number of people with diabetes in adults (20-79 years) by age group in 2021 (columns) and estimated prevalence across age groups in 2045(black line) [
1].
The 2021 diabetes prevalence estimates were applied to population estimates for 2045 to project future prevalence. Results The global diabetes prevalence in 20–79 year olds in 2021 was estimated to be 10.5% (536.6 million people), rising to 12.2% (783.2 million) in 2045. Diabetes prevalence was similar in men and women and was highest in those aged 75–79 year Prevalence (in 2021) was estimated to be higher in urban (12.1%) than rural (8.3%) areas, and in high-income (11.1%) compared to low-income countries (5.5%). The greatest relative increase in the prevalence of diabetes between 2021 and 2045 is expected to occur in middle-income countries (21.1%) compared to high- (12.2%) and low-income (11.9%) countries. Global diabetes-related health expenditures were estimated at 966 billion USD in 2021, and are projected to reach 1,054 billion USD by 2045. Conclusions Just over half a billion people are living with diabetes worldwide which means that over 10.5% of the world’s adult population now have this conditions
Figure 2.
Diabetes Pathology Diagram.
Figure 2.
Diabetes Pathology Diagram.
- A.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile diabetes mellitus (IDDM) owing to the pathological inability of the body to produce sufficient insulin or to produce insulin at all, a congenital disorder that develops in most cases between infancy and adolescence, the cause of which is currently unknown [
2].
Figure 3.
Type 1 diabetes Symptoms and Causes.
Figure 3.
Type 1 diabetes Symptoms and Causes.
Physician Ratings at Cleveland Clinic [
3]
Some of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are:
Feeling more thirsty than usual.
Urinating often.
Losing weight without trying.
Presence of ketones in the urine. Ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there's not enough available insulin.
Feeling tired and weak.
Feeling irritable or having other mood changes.
Having blurry vision.
Having slow-healing sores.
Getting a lot of infections, such as gum, skin and vaginal infections.
Table 1.
Autoimmune diseases of other organs associated with autoimmune type 1 diabetes [
4].
Table 1.
Autoimmune diseases of other organs associated with autoimmune type 1 diabetes [
4].
Type1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease that results in absolute insulin deficiency due to destruction of the pancreatic beta cells. It is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases like autoimmune thyroid (AIT) disease, celiac disease (CD), Addison's disease (AD), and vitiligo. These diseases, including T1DM are associated with organ specific autoantibodies.
Adult-onset diabetes is caused by being overweight or a lack of exercise. Studies indicate that obesity is a major contributor to insulin resistance, making it one of the primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Research shows that dietary and lifestyle changes can lead to weight loss and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Additionally, recent studies suggest that chronic inflammation may be linked to the condition, as 70-80% of patients are not obese. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, primarily due to insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Unlike type 1 diabetes, where patients completely lose insulin production due to damage to pancreatic islet cells, type 2 diabetes is often caused by the consumption of highly refined diets and trans fats. Diabetes is now one of the chronic diseases in developed countries, with increasing numbers of potential patients, and there is a trend toward younger ages. Typical symptoms of type 2 diabetes include polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. Approximately 90% of diabetes patients have type 2 diabetes, while the remaining 10% mostly consist of type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes, which may be misdiagnosed. In high-risk populations with genetic predisposition to diabetes, obesity is considered the main cause of type 2 diabetes.
- B.
Type 2 Diabetes
Without a diseased state of the pancreas, type 2 diabetes begins with aberrant insulin resistance (abnormal and unresponsive cellular response to insulin) or cellular unresponsiveness to insulin. As the condition advances, insulin secretion can become increasingly inadequate [
5].
The therapy of diabetes varies according to the severity of the disease. Current treatment for type 1 diabetes consists of long-term insulin delivery to regulate the disease. As with type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes, oral medicines can be used to treat the disease in addition to insulin. Diabetes has become one of the most prevalent diseases of civilization in industrialized nations, with an increasing number of potential patients and a tendency toward younger people. Typical symptoms of type 2 diabetes include polyuria, polytheist, and polyphagia. Type 2 diabetes accounts for around 90% of the diabetic population, with type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes, the latter of which is frequently misdiagnosed, accounting for the remaining 10%. Obesity is typically regarded as the primary cause of type 2 diabetes among individuals at high risk of developing diabetes due to genetic factors.
Figure 4.
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes [
6].
Figure 4.
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes [
6].
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in patients with diabetes. Cardiovascular disease in diabetes is multifactorial, and control of the cardiovascular risk factors leads to substantial reductions in cardiovascular events.
Objective to determine if the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and tobacco use), treatment rates, and control changed among adults aged 20 to 44 years from 2009 through March 2020, overall and by sex and race and ethnicity.
As shown in
Figure 5, the ideal curve of the fluctuations of blood glucose (red) and insulin (blue) concentration in the human body during a day (three meals). The solid line indicates the consumption of starch-rich foods, whereas the dotted line indicates the consumption of sucrose-rich foods. In the human body, glycemic concentrations are rigorously regulated and are commonly maintained at approximately 90 mg/dL (5 mmol/L). In the normal range of 4-7 mmol/L, which is the constant range of blood glucose [8]. Circulating glucose levels in blood are normatively in the range of 3.3-7.05 g (assuming that a human body contains 5 liters of blood, equivalent to the average blood volume of a human male). Blood glucose levels are elevated after one to two hours following consumption of food and fall to a minimum at the termination of sleeping periods.
Dysregulated blood glucose levels may result in a multitude of disorders, including persistent hyperglycemia with high blood glucose levels and hypoglycemia with low blood glucose levels. Continuous hyperglycemia resulting from a variety of causes may result in diabetes, the most prominent disease associated with blood glucose levels, while hypoglycemia may result in symptoms such as dizziness, inability to concentrate, and even shock. Apart from glucose, fructose, and galactose are also available in the blood, however, only the level of glucose concentration may be regulated metabolically through insulin. Under conditions of intense stress, fear and fatigue, adrenal hormones may surge and prevent insulin production, thus affecting blood glucose levels.
When the body's insulin supply is insufficient, glucose cannot be transported to cells via insulin and accumulates in the circulation, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels, while the immune system attacks the pancreatic cells, resulting in insufficient insulin production which in turn causes type 1 diabetes.
Insulin resistance is the aberrant capacity of cells to utilize insulin, whereby insulin cannot efficiently metabolize glucose, resulting in glucose retention in the circulation and in the urine while the kidneys are unable to recover it adequately. Since the cells do not receive enough energy, the body believes it should produce more insulin to transport glucose, so it produces insulin day and night. However, the cells are already resistant to insulin, so they do not receive enough energy, and the body finally loses weight rapidly. Ninety percent of the causes of diabetes are attributable to insulin resistance. Possible causes include obesity, heredity, and old age.
Prevention and treatment of diabetes include maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and maintaining an ideal body weight. Blood pressure control and foot care are also very important for people with diabetes. Type 1 diabetes requires insulin injections to control blood glucose, while type 2 diabetes can be controlled with oral medications and, if needed, with insulin injections [9]. Some of the oral medications used for diabetes and insulin may cause hypoglycemia [10]. For patients with type 2 diabetes who also have obesity, bariatric surgery is an effective treatment [11]. In patients with gestational diabetes, blood glucose usually returns to normal after delivery [12].
Figure 6.
Type 2 diabetes Symptoms and Causes [13].
Figure 6.
Type 2 diabetes Symptoms and Causes [13].
Type 2 diabetes can cause various health problems, like heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. You can manage this disease by making lifestyle changes, taking medications and seeing your healthcare provider for regular check-ins.
Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes
Increased thirst (polydipsia).
Peeing more frequently.
Feeling hungrier than usual.
Fatigue.
Slow healing of cuts or sores.
Tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
Blurred vision.
Dry skin.
Type 3 diabetes: Recent research indicates that Alzheimer’s disease is essentially the brain’s inability to respond to insulin, leading to hyperglycemia in the brain and cognitive decline, referred to as type 3 diabetes. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) refers to the onset of hyperglycemia during pregnancy in individuals with no prior history of diabetes. Symptoms of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes often develops rapidly and is easily detected, while most patients with type 2 diabetes show no early symptoms until blood tests reveal the condition or symptoms such as blurred vision and cardiovascular issues manifest.
Diabetes risk: Type 1 diabetes is related to autoimmune disorders, with higher prevalence among children and young individuals with a family history of type 1 diabetes. Additionally, those with a family history of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) have an increased risk after age 30.
In contrast, type 2 diabetes, which is not autoimmune-related, is primarily influenced by lifestyle factors. Risk factors include prediabetes, obesity, age 45 or older, a family history of type 2 diabetes, engaging in less than three weekly exercise sessions, a history of gestational diabetes, or birth weight exceeding 4,000 grams. Furthermore, recent studies show a clear link between Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, with prediabetics and type 2 diabetics having a higher risk of Alzheimer’s in later life. As a result, Alzheimer’s is sometimes referred to as type 3 diabetes.[14]
Other types of diabetes: Certain diabetes types are distinct from type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. These include:
β-cell genetic defects (β-cell insulin secretion),
Genetic insulin resistance,
Pancreatic diseases,
Hormonal disorders,
or diabetes caused by chemicals or drugs.
Complications: Diabetic complications primarily manifest as microcirculatory disorders affecting the cardiovascular system, cerebrovascular system, retina, peripheral vessels, and kidneys, and can also lead to neuropathy. Diabetic retinopathy results from prolonged hyperglycemia, damaging the endothelial cells of the retinal blood vessels, causing a series of retinal conditions, such as micro aneurysms, hard exudates, cotton wool spots, neovascularization, vitreous proliferation, and even retinal detachment. Retinal changes usually appear after ten or more years in diabetes patients, although those with poor glycemic control or type 1 diabetes may experience these changes earlier, necessitating regular ophthalmologic check-ups. Diabetic nephropathy can progress through five stages, ultimately leading to kidney failure. Diabetic patients have a significantly higher risk of developing nephropathy compared to non-diabetics, with approximately half of type 2 diabetes patients affected. In advanced stages, nephropathy can cause kidney failure, requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation. Reduced renal function also increases the risk of other diabetes-related complications, such as hypoglycemia and cardiovascular disease. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a common long-term complication, is caused by chronic metabolic imbalances affecting the vascular system and leading to nerve damage. Symptoms include severe pain, tingling, burning, numbness, and persistent dysesthesia in the lower limbs, arms, and fingers, affecting quality of life, sleep, and emotional well-being. Advanced complications include foot ulcers, Charcot neuropathic osteoarthropathy, and even amputation. Comorbidities include depression, autonomic neuropathy, cognitive dysfunction, peripheral artery disease, and cardiovascular disease. Insulin plays a crucial role in regulating glucose absorption in most tissues, particularly muscle and adipose cells, excluding neurons in the central nervous system. Insulin deficiency and cellular insensitivity to insulin are central to all types of diabetes. Most carbohydrates in food are converted into glucose monosaccharaides within hours, which is the primary carbohydrate in the bloodstream. Some carbohydrates, like fructose, are not converted into glucose but still provide cellular energy. Additionally, cellulose, despite being composed of glucose molecules in long chains, cannot be digested and converted into glucose because the human digestive system lacks the necessary enzymes. When blood glucose levels rise after meals, β-cells release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin facilitates glucose absorption by most cells, especially muscle and fat cells, either for immediate energy use or storage. Insulin also regulates the conversion of glucose and glycogen in the liver and muscle cells. When blood glucose levels decrease, β-cells reduce insulin secretion, lowering glucose conversion into glycogen.